Pinkie

 A few years ago, I was hovering on the verge of death because of acute diabetes. My highest blood sugar level was 2154 mg/dl. My doctor made presentations at medical conferences about me.

 Now, I have recovered. I don’t inject insulin anymore. I am not on a restricted diet. I am fine.

 But I didn’t recover completely.

 Since then, I’ve been unable to get rid of the numbness in my left pinkie. Even now. It’s as if I wear a work glove just on my pinkie. My pinkie feels weak.

 Let’s look on the bright side. I was lucky. If I were a world-class pianist, it could have been a mortal wound. If I were a world-class violinist, it might have been a fatal injury.

 I use my pinkie just for typing on my computer keyboard. I have difficulty typing “Q,” “A,” and “Z.” Fortunately, Japanese language basically doesn’t use “Q.” So, in my case, I am pretty much fine.

 When I was a child, I studied the violin. I quit. If I had continued and happened to become a world-class violinist, I would have disappointed many classical music fans.

 I am happy I quit the violin. Persistence pays off, but sometimes quitting also pays off.

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Picture by barbulat

International Relationships and a Restaurant

 Once, I needed to entertain a business partner. I invited her to a restaurant.

 Inviting an important person to a restaurant is not easy. An expensive, high-class restaurant is not necessarily the best option. The important person would worry about me, so it would not be a smart move.

 I want her to think, “Oh! I didn’t know there was such a restaurant here. It is clean, stylish, and reasonable. I want to come here again with my family or friends. Kudos Shujiro! He must know many good restaurants. I want to have a meal with him again!” This is my goal when inviting someone to a restaurant.

 I knew the best Chinese restaurant in my town. It was little more expensive than other Chinese restaurants, but still acceptable. It was also stylish and delicious. In the restaurant, they displayed the Chinese chef’s photo and testimonials. He had won many chef competitions.

 I proudly invited my business partner to the restaurant. But it had changed a lot.

 The restaurant still had the same name. It was located in the same place. Even the phone number was the same. But the interior decoration had changed. There had been a photo taken in Shanghai, but instead of that, they now displayed traditional Japanese pictures. The staff had all changed. The menu had completely changed. Most importantly, the taste had changed. I could cook better! What had happened to the restaurant!

 At that time, the relationship between Japan and China was really not good because of issues over some islands.

 This is my guess as to what had happened. The chef had left the restaurant because Japan was difficult to live in for a Chinese at that time. There was no photo of him nor testimonials to him in the restaurant. If the chef had gone, they couldn’t cook the same way. I think he left Japan. A good chef can work all around the world.

 I had invited my business partner to the wrong restaurant. However, as a result, the dinner was almost successful. My business partner said, “This is delicious!” But I knew she was lying to me. It was not delicious. I knew it. She was being diplomatic, as I was also an important business partner to her.

 I was in bed for a few days as a result of this shocking incident.

 I have a good relationship with that business partner even now. Our business is succeeding.

 But sometimes I worry she might think I have a unique sense of taste.

 Some people say the relationship between Japan and China is now at its worst. I worry nice Chinese restaurants are silently disappearing from Japan.

 If we want delicious foods, we need to maintain good relations with all countries.

 The best way to good food is peace.

 I wish for lasting peace for good food.

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Picture by illustratorbk

 

Time Bomb Joke

I was a high school student. One day, in an English class, the English teacher did a mysterious thing. I have forgotten almost everything about high school, but I can remember what he did clearly.

 

The teacher wrote two sentences on the blackboard. Then he stopped for a few seconds and stood in silence. Usually, he explained the meaning of the sentences he wrote. But that time, he didn’t. Then he took an eraser and said “This is inappropriate.” He erased the sentences without any explanation. My classmates and I didn’t react. No one understood his actions.

 

For the next few years, I continued studying English. One day, I suddenly understood the sentences.

 

It had been a joke. Furthermore, it was a dirty joke.

 

We were teenagers. We had female classmates. Of course, that was an inappropriate joke in the classroom. That was a dirty joke, but it was a good example for students who were studying grammar. He wanted to explain the meaning of the sentences. But he was a teacher who couldn’t explain in Japanese. He just wrote on the blackboard for a few seconds. I think he believed some of us might keep studying English and someday would understand the joke. He wished someone would laugh in the future. That joke was for the future; it was a time bomb joke.

 

There are many kinds of jokes. Time bomb jokes must be one of them.

 

Teacher, your joke certainly worked!

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Picture by Gugu